The Canadian Quarterback Conundrum Part 4: “Second Class? Canadian quarterbacks and the CFL stereotype”

CFC reporter Rahim deMolitor was tasked with getting to the bottom of the CANADIAN QUARTERBACK CONUNDRUM.  This multi-series story digs deeper than ever and includes interviews with many Canadian Football experts including a variety of journalists including Kirk Penton & Andrew Bucholtz; coaches including Danny Maciocia & Warren Craney; former players including Duane Forde; Quarterbacks including Brad Sinopoli, Giulio Caravatta, Jamie Bone and Michael Faulds and many, many, many more.  And of course, we encourage you to join in the discussion, and forward these great stories to your friends.

Second Class?

Canadian quarterbacks and the CFL stereotype

PART 1 – CLICK HERE

PART 2 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Giulio Caravatta, Warren Craney and Michael Faulds

Part 3 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Brad Sinopoli, Michael Faulds, Giulio Caravatta, Kirk Penton and Richard MacLean

Part 4 includes comments from Jamie Bone, Kirk Penton, Giulio Caravatta and Brad Sinopoli

Part 5 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Duane Forde, Andrew Buchotlz, and Kirk Penton

Part 6 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Kirk Penton and Andrew Bucholtz

Part 7 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Lowell Ullrich, Giulio Caravatta, Michael Faulds, Brad Sinopoli, Billy McPhee and Duane Forde

Part 8 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Danny Maciocia, Giulio Caravatta, Duane Forde, Brad Sinopoli, Andrew Bucholtz and Michael Faulds

Part 9 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Danny Maciocia, Andrew Bucholtz, and Duane Forde

Part 10 – CLICK HERE includes comments from TSNs Farhan Lalji

Part 11 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Christian Audet, Pat Boies, Cherif Nicolas

Part 12 CLICK HERE includes comments from Danny Maciocia and Brad Spinoli

No luggage is required. No plane ticket. No music. And one uniform will get you through the trip.

But just like crossing the border – when Canadian quarterbacks cross the white-lines of a CFL field – they better have a passport.

In the CFL, nationality matters. And like foreigners, Canadians stand out.

But it’s not for their play on the field.

Canadian quarterbacks are typecast by CFL coaches and general managers. He can’t play the position. He can’t run our system. He can’t compete with the American guy.

It’s a stereotype, fair or not, that Canadian quarterbacks can’t seem to shake.

“They do have strikes against them,” said former CFL quarterback Jamie Bone.

“‘Where did you play?’

‘Well, I played in the AUS or the OUA.’

‘And where did you play? ‘Well, I played in the SEC’’ (Southeastern Conference USA).

“It comes back to that bias,” he said. “I don’t think (coaches) mean it, I don’t think there is a cabal saying keep (Canadians) out. It just comes down to the nature of the business.”

Kirk Penton takes it a step further.

A CFL writer and columnist for the Winnipeg Sun, he’s attended training camps and the CFL combine. When speaking to general managers he says, Canadian quarterbacks are not even in the conversation.

“I don’t pay much attention because I realize they’re not on GM’s radars,” he said.

“If there were two quarterbacks of the same quality and one was Canadian and one was American, I wouldn’t be so naive as to think the GM wouldn’t pick the American.”

If the consensus is true, why are Canadian quarterbacks considered so undesirable?

Is it mechanics? Reading the field?

“They’re just looked at differently when they get to the pro-level,” said former CFL quarterback Giulio Caravatta.

The issue, he says, boils down to reputation.

 “If I make a mistake and I’m from the University of Calgary and the guy who went to Fresno State makes the same mistake – he’s learning and I’m not good enough,” said Caravatta.

“When I came back from NFL Europe people looked at me like, ‘wow you played in NFL Europe, what were we missing here?’ Suddenly the perception changed.”

But not everyone agrees.

Former Ottawa Gee-Gees quarterback Brad Sinopoli says the stereotype is overblown.

Selected in the fourth-round of the 2011 CFL Draft (29^th overall) by the Calgary Stampeders, Sinopoli was the team’s third quarterback for the 2012 season, before switching to receiver in 2013.

“I think it’s easy for people to say there is a stereotype,” he said. “But at the same time, I was given a fair shot. For two years, I played pre-season games and had every opportunity to compete in camp. To be a quarterback in the CFL is a hard thing to do.”

According to Sinopoli, expectations bring pressure. And CFL coaches are under the same microscope. They don’t have time to develop young quarterbacks – they have to win now, or risk losing their job.

It’s the rollercoaster of the CFL, says Bone. The bias is there, but winning prevails: if a Canadian quarterback could lead a team to a Grey Cup, coaches wouldn’t hesitate.

“Coaches have to put wins on the board. They are going to go with what they feel comfortable with and probably won’t go with the (Canadian) guy” he said.

“We talk about developing kids, but (coaches) don’t have that luxury. They are judged on wins and losses. They are looking for players who can play, compete and help them save their jobs.”

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